According to the National Council on Home Safety and Security, approximately 325,000 homes will be broken into this year with losses estimated at over $14 billion dollars. Homes without security systems are 300% more likely to be burglarized than ones where a security system is in place and signs prominently displayed. 83% of burglars admitted they look to see if there is an alarm.
Much more than the value of your belongings are at stake in protecting your home. The emotional effects are often devastating and lasting. Items of irreplaceable sentimental value can be stolen, and there is always the danger of physical harm from an intruder.
Fortunately, modern technology offers effective deterrent and rapid notification systems to protect you and your property. While the technology has advanced dramatically, the basics of home security remain the same. All systems have two goals – to deter unwanted entry by warning would be intruders that the property is protected, and to alert homeowners, neighbors and authorities of a break-in.
The heart of a home security system is sensors. Sensors come in two forms; door and window sensors consist of two parts installed adjacent to each other one on the door or window and the other on the frame nearby. When the door or window is opened, the circuit is broken and the alarm is triggered. The second type of sensor is a motion sensor which protects open space in a room or hall. When any motion is detected the alarm is sounded. These sensors can be used both indoors and outdoors.
A vital component of a home security system is a high-decibel alarm which sounds when alerted by a sensor. This alerts the homeowner and neighbors of an intrusion and is most often sufficient to cause the intruder to retreat. The alarm should be sufficiently loud to be heard throughout the house and by those nearby, and placed where an intruder cannot easily access it.
A valuable addition to a home system is an auto-dialer that signals the alarm company or local police of an emergency. Some locales have regulations regarding the use of these devices in notifying local police.
Increasingly common are surveillance cameras, both wired and wireless configurations. The popular Ring front door camera is one example which provides both camera and communication options at doorbell locations. Cameras placed at strategic locations can monitor deliveries, childrens’ arrival from school, and document unauthorized entries.
The brain of home security is the control panel which programs the various monitoring devices, arms and disarms the system, sounds the alarm when necessary and notifies the alarm system company and/or local police. The sophistication of these devices has increased as wi-fi technology has advanced, allowing remote monitoring and use of the system.
The last, and likely most important, part of the system are yard signs and window stickers. Faced with the likelihood of a challenging security system, intruders are generally dissuaded from further entry.
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